A/N: Sorry about the late update. Here's two chapters to make up for it. :)
"I broke something I'll never get, I'll never get back.
Brought me to my knees.
A head like steel and a soul of gold,
and a heart that's made of glass."
–– Pentatonix, "Cracked"
The junkyard was quiet––not even the crickets dared to break the silence. Old cars and other pieces of scrap littered the yard, glinting like bones in the moonlight. Bumblebee purred through along the faint path, diligently looking for their medic.
"There!" Raf opened his door and jumped out. The familiar ambulance was hidden in the shadows. They would have missed it, have Bumblebee not had his lights on. "Ratchet, it's me! Bee's here too!"
The ambulance didn't answer. Raf glanced at Bumblebee and they shared an uncertain look.
"Ratchet––"
The ambulance's high beams flicked on, nearly blinding Raf, who staggered back. Bumblebee transformed and shuffled closer, optics wide. His door wings hiked up into the air.
"Go away."
"But––"
"You're interrupting my power down." The lights turned off. Bumblebee made a deep, despairing noise. Raf ran up to Ratchet and narrowed his eyes.
"You're giving up?" Raf clenched his fists. "Come on, Ratchet! We can't give up now!" They both stumbled away when Ratchet suddenly transformed, optics harsh against the night. The hair on Raf's arms stood on end; Ratchet's EM field snapped around him before he reined it back in, close to his frame.
"The war is over, Rafael!" Ratchet darkened his optics and lifted his chin. "The 'good guys' don't always win."
Bumblebee beeped and waved his hands about. Raf nodded.
"Yeah, what about the Harbinger? We know it has working tech! Starscream used it when he defected, and it's probably deserted now that he's back with the 'Cons––"
Ratchet rolled his optics, though the action was unseen in the shadows. "Technology is nothing without a competent user. A team is nothing without a proper leader ."
"What about when Optimus lost his memories?" Raf crossed his arms. "You didn't give up then!" He narrowed his eyes.
"Optimus wasn't dead then!" Ratchet's optics flashed on the word 'dead,' then went dim. He stared Raf in the eye and scowled. "Give it up, Rafael." Bumblebee took a step away and his door wings flattened against his back. Ratchet turned his glare on him. "That's right. Optimus is dead . The war is over, and we lost." The junkyard went quiet again, except for the low hum that signaled––
"Is that a ship?" Raf pointed. Both Ratchet and Bumblebee followed his gaze to the approaching vessel. Despite its small size, the various spikes sticking out of its hull made it quite an imposing figure. Decepticon script was engraved on its side.
"The Tempest," Ratchet read, squinting. Bumblebee glanced at him, confused, but forgot about it when dirt exploded at his feet. The ship drew nearer and the blaster fire became more rapid. Bumblebee pushed Raf under a stray car, then dove aside to avoid the missile barreling towards him.
Dust and shrapnel filled the air. Bumblebee wildly threw his helm back and forth, but he could see nothing. He jumped when fingers wrapped around his forearm, only to find it was Ratchet. Energon trickled from a large wound in the medic's left ventral plating. The armor around the wound was blackened and cracked.
"I would advise not moving." The dust cleared, revealing four figures; three were tall and bulky, while the third was thin and small. The largest stepped forward, the end of his fusion cannon glowing bright yellow in the dark. His visor, also yellow, flashed; his hunched figure was nearly twice Ratchet's height.
"Lord Megatron has requested your presence, Doctor." They could hear the grin in his voice, despite the fact that his mouth was covered by a battle mask. "Will you come quietly or will we have to hurt you?"
Ratchet exchanged a glance with Bumblebee. The latter shook his head and beeped. Ratchet's jaw tensed and untensed, and his optics shifted from the Decepticons back to Bumblebee.
"Onslaught, he ain't gonna do––
"Shut it, Brawl!" Onslaught glowered at his subordinate, then stalked closer to the Autobots and readied his cannon. Ratchet raised his chin as the taller mech drew close. They locked optics, neither willing to give in first.
So Bumblebee broke the contest by shooting Onslaught in the left optic. The Combaticon roared and charged towards him, cannon ready. The others, Brawl and two femmes, went for Ratchet. More dust rose around them. Ratchet brought his arms up in a block, but the taller femme transformed and rammed into him, knocking him off his feet. Brawl came from behind and restrained him in a chokehold.
Bumblebee backed away from Onslaught, but the Decepticon grabbed him around the middle and hurled him into an old semi truck. Bumblebee struggled to stand, but Onslaught planted his foot on his chest and aimed his cannon at the scout's head.
"Will you come now, or do I have to terminate the bug here first?" Onslaught primed his cannon.
"Yes! I'll come!" Ratchet choked, clawing at Brawl's arm. He left faint scratches in the paint. Onslaught nodded and stepped off of Bumblebee, but didn't lower his weapon.
"Astraea, come here."
The tall femme with blue armor stepped forward. Onslaught gestured to Bumblebee.
"Shoot out his T-cog and legs, then meet me on the ship. Brawl!" He made a shooing motion with his hand. "We need the medic alive." Brawl reluctantly loosened his grip on Ratchet's throat. Energon rushed to his head, and he nearly fell over, dizzy, when Brawl forced him to stand. He didn't resist when they secured a pair of stasis cuffs to his wrists and shoved him onto their ship. Ratchet caught a glimpse of the dark interior before Brawl clouted him in the back of the head and his vision went black.
Bumblebee didn't watch when they flew away, instead curling into a fetal position and offlining his optics. Raf wordlessly sat down beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.